Dallas Cowboys Blog

Cowboys defense can build around inside LB Sean Lee

IRVING — The Cowboys have a real centerpiece to build their defense around for years to come in inside linebacker Sean Lee. In his second year in the NFL, Lee took a major step forward and led the Cowboys in tackles and tied for the team lead with four interceptions.

First-year defensive coordinator Rob Ryan trusted him so much that he made Lee the signal caller for the defense.

The Cowboys’ defense improved this season from the 2010 unit, but that isn’t saying that there isn’t still a lot of areas that need to improve. The Cowboys’ 2010 defense was one of the worst in franchise history. The Cowboys still have a lot of holes on defense with concerns in the secondary, linebacker and defensive line.

But Lee gives the Cowboys someone who should be a steady force in the heart of the defense. As long as he can avoid injuries, he should always be one of the team’s leading tacklers.

Lee played in 15 games — from Oct. 30 on with a dislocated left wrist — and led the Cowboys in tackles in eight of his games.

You saw several veteran offensive players released before training camp last year and this time around the Cowboys’ defense could be overhauled as the team continues its rebuilding project.

Lee said a full off-season with Ryan will help the defense be better in 2012.

“We can do it right now. We can really build a base of knowledge of defense instead of kind of doing it on the fly, jumping in and trying to figure out what we do well, trying to learn a whole new defense,” Lee said Monday. “Now we know going into the preseason and into training camp what we’re going to do and we’ll have everything locked in so we’re able to start and have a lot better background.”

Lee agreed that the Cowboys’ defense has a lot of room for improvement.

“We need to be a lot more consistent,” Lee said. “We show flashes of being a very good team and then we play when we’re inconsistent. If you want to be a great team, you have to execute throughout the entire game, you have to win the big games, you have to win down the stretch and in the fourth quarter and we didn’t do that throughout the year.”